How to Mix a Tabby Lime Mortar

Add eight shovels of clean brick sand to a wheelbarrow. Place a 1/4-inch wire screen over the wheelbarrow and have a helper hold it in place. Place the sand on the screen and shake the sand through.

Add 1/2-bag of an 80-pound bag of Portland cement on the screen and shake the powder into the wheelbarrow to remove lumps from the mortar. Combine the cement and sand with a hoe. Stand at the rear of the wheelbarrow, pushing and pulling the mixture with a hoe.

Add 3 gallons of water to the mixture and combine the mixture until you achieve a pancake batter consistency. Add more water -- 1 gallon at a time -- if the mixture is too dry and more powder -- one shovel each -- if the mixture is too wet.

Add 10 pounds of lime. Place the lime directly into the wet mortar mix and combine the mixture with a hoe. Add 1/2 gallon of water to loosen the mixture after the lime has been added.

Add four shovels of crushed shells to the wet mixture. Combine the shells into the mixture. Allow the mixture to set for 15 minutes and remix the contents. Add 1/2 gallon of water to the mixture to reattain a pancake batter consistency.